Buck It is the second beer to get a full release from the Black Donkey stable. I had it back in the Autumn when JJ Harlow’s in Roscommon had it on draught as a ‘Pilot’. To be honest, I didn’t fall head over heels in love with it then. I probably shouldn’t have had it at the same time as Rascal’s Big Hop Red. That hop assault on my senses meant I couldn’t fully appreciate the maltiness of Buck It. I told brewer Richard Siberry what I thought and he responded by reading the label notes to me: ‘What is this beer? An American amber? Maybe a little. An Irish Red? Probably not. A Belgian Dubbel? Not really. At Black Donkey Brewing, we don’t follow models, we buck trends… This beer borrows from all three… to make what is simply: A nice buckin’ beer.’ An elegant and eloquent response, I’m sure you’ll agree. (You’ll just have to imagine Richard reading that with his big voice and transatlantic twang! )
The beer is brewed with Irish and Belgian malt and American hops and yeast. The malt really stands out. This is a rich and complex beer. It’s warm and something of a bittersweet symphony (apologies). I had it with a Steak and Kidney Pie. It was well able to match the hearty fare and I’d imagine it would go well with spicier food too. I had a wee drop left which I sipped alongside my dessert of Baked Alaska. This brought the sweetness to the fore. This is a truly unique beer, you need to try it for yourself. You can find it now in The Malt House, Athlone and other fine establishments. Sláinte!
